Buffalo Trace Distillery is located in Frankfort, Kentucky, owned by the Sazerac Company. It has historically been known by several names, including the George T. Stagg Distillery and the Old Fashioned Copper Distillery. The company claims the distillery is the oldest continuously-operating distillery in the United States.
Records indicate that distilling started on the site that is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1775 by Hancock Lee and his brother Willis Lee who died in 1776. The first distillery was constructed in 1812 by Harrison Blanton. In 1870 the distillery was purchased by Edmund H. Taylor and given its first name, the Old Fire Copper (O.F.C.) Distillery. The company says the name "Buffalo Trace" refers to an ancient buffalo crossing on the banks of the Kentucky River in Franklin County. The Sazerac Company purchased the distillery in 1992.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon 45%
Made from the finest corn, rye and barley malt, this whiskey ages in new oak barrels for a minimum of 8 years in century old warehouses until the peak of maturity. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight bourbon is the flagship offer from this exemplary distillery.
Truly your everyday sipper, with notes of vanilla, caramel and fresh hay, this whiskey is great in any cocktail you can think of.
Weller Special Reserve 45%
Just like most of Buffalo Trace's offerings, Weller is now a highly allocated Bourbon. Often referred to as “Poor man’s Pappy” in reference to the old location of where Pappy was made. Its softer spice notes make this bourbon great for sipping or making cocktails. If you know Pappy, you know Weller. This is a must have bottle.
Weller special reserve features an exceptionally long lasting palette, substituting wheat for rye grain. The nose has a wonderful flamed orange note and the palette delivers a cornucopia of pastry with an elegant harmony of both nose and palette to finish. Aged anywhere between 4 to 7 years. Bottled at 90 proof, this bourbon stands out.
Blanton’s Single Barrel 45%
The Single Barrel Bourbon was the first of its kind. Blantons started going into production in 1984 (production overseen by Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee). Aged between 6 to 8 years, Blanton’s has become highly allocated and hard to obtain over the years.
Blantons has a wonderful fresh apple pie scent on the nose with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel on the palette, the nose and palette elongate the freshly baked apple nuances. Get your hands on one of these bottles while they last.
Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Sour Mash 45%
Named after Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee, this whiskey is hand selected and bottled to the taste and standards which were set forth by Elmer T. Lee himself. Lee passed away in 2013, which started to create a demand for these exclusive bottles.
These bottles are now highly sought after with very little left on the retail market. Elmer T lee is great for drinking and, for some, even better for collecting.
The flavor balances fruit, honey and vanilla with a light spiciness. A long and warm finish.
My Favorite Old Fashioned Recipe:
- 4 dash Angostura Bitters
- ¼ oz simple syrup (or 1 small cube of sugar)
- 2 oz of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Fill a rocks glass with ice, place all ingredients in a rocks glass and stir until the glass (and liquid) is nice and chilled. Finish with an orange peel.
Zev Glesta | September 21, 2021
